I got two things of laundry detergent today at RiteAid for the price of one. Also got two tubes of Arm and Hammer toothpaste - two for $4.

Wrote a letter to cancel a trial membership, and signed up for a new one ($20 in Lowe's gift cards). Now that I know I can repeat offers using a different credit card, I'm going to keep an eye out for more offers that appeal to me, and particularly offers that come from My Points so that I can get points in the process as well. I wasn't a member of My Points when I did the first round of gc's, unfortunately.

Hung two loads of laundry yesterday and today.

DH took a huge load of things to the thrift store over the weekend - it was nice to get it all out of the house. Our guest bed was basically covered with things to donate. DD also agreed to let her small hippity hop go. She'd outgrown it, and it was good to get it out of the house.

I won an hour long massage for $20 in DD's school's auction in the fall, and I'm finally getting around to using it today. I'm looking forward to that.

I'm going to spend some time going through the list of organic food sites that flash put together on her grocery coupon site and see if I can get some coupons through any of them.

--later--

I am getting my second samplet to test via one of the survey sites. The first sample has been nice to use, and I am actually looking forward to trying out the next one, too! Kind of fun.

I went to Joann's today with my 40% off coupon and bought some fabric to ake new slip covers for our window seat. What would have cost about $80 ended up costing around $48. And who knows what it would cost to have them made as opposed to doing it myself. Now I have to actually sit down and make them.

I have some pink terry cloth that I bought while back for a robe for DD. I still need to sew that up.

Joann's had yarn on sale that I've been keeping an eye on for an afghan for my SIL, for Christmas. I bought what I think will be enough for basically a lap blanket. It will be cozy, and I'm pretty sure she'll like it. I have spent about $15 on that project. For my boutique, I like to use special yarns that can't be bought just anywhere, but for this afghan the lionbrand yarn will be fine.

--later--

Here I thought I was doing a great job - turns out I didn't buy enough fabric. grrr....I'm going to see if I can get by and use something else I already have on hand for, say, the bottoms of each cushion, rather than buying more of this fabric at full price.

I hate mistakes like this. They make me feel stupid.

--later still--

I ought to be able to make this work. I have enought to do all but the bottoms, so I'll recycle the muslin that's currently covering the cushions and use it for the bottoms. I'll have more than enough muslin, and it won't show. I've made the first two covers already (minus the bottoms), and they're going to look pretty nice. At least it will be a nice change from the muslin look we've had for 9 years now.

I've been looking at our spending first quarter last year versus first quarter this year in Quicken, trying to see concrete results from our efforts to save here and there in a few categories.

Here's the data (2005 vs. 2006):

Groceries 1152.09 vs. 986.61 (14.4% decrease)
Dining 594.97 vs. 494.83 (16.8% decrease)
Electric 150.82 vs. 156.38
Water/Sewer 50.92 vs. 98.22

Totals: 1948.80 vs. 1736.04

So we're ahead by $212.76 compared to first quarter last year. I'm wondering about the water/sewer difference - perhaps two bills came in first quarter of this year but only one got paid during first quarter last year? I may look, just out of curiosity... Yep, that's what happened. The next payment was in the first week of April, for $54.98, for a total of $104.90 for two payments compared to $98.22 for two payments this year. That's a 6.45% decrease.

I don't know if our electric rates went up or not, but that's an area to keep working on. We've been switching to compact fl. light bulbs and are hoping to see a reduction from that.

Sometimes it feels like we aren't making progress, but exercises like this prove that we are. This is one of the reasons I am so much in favor of tracking our expenses, whether it's in Quicken or a spreadsheet or whatever. I track our savings balances on the first of each month, hoping to see them going up. If they don't, I notate why (tuition due, surgery for a pet, etc.).

When I joined one of flash's coupon trains, she sent a whole pile of coupons in my welcome pack. I was surprised to see quite a few that I could definitely use. My view on coupons is that they aren't any good if I wouldn't have bought the product anyway, or if I can buy the same thing in a generic form for less.

I did some shopping this evening, and with coupons I saved about $13. It was great having coupons for Vons' organics brand, as well as some other organic/natural things I buy anyway.

For the month, we have about $123 left in our grocery budget and $9 left in our dining budget. We'll see how the rest of the month plays out. We're over in many of our other categories.

Oh - I forgot that I used the new dividend card for tonight's purchase, so that's 5% back.

A good mail day - my $2 rebate arrived that I thought may have gotten lost in the mail, and $20 in gc's for Barnes & Noble.

So far this month:
1 book (net $5.06)
1 DVD (net=$6.69)
$30 in gift cards
$2 Rite-Aid rebate
Total: $43.75

Other things to track:
AdSense $11.52 and counting...
1 more Rite-Aid rebate
1 Longs rebate
ebookdrop ???
gas vouchers ???

Thought I'd go through my goals and see how I'm doing.

*Increase 401k contribution by at least 1-2%. haven't done this yet
*Increase ING monthly transfers by $25 (went in and increased by $10 for January) haven't done this yet - 4/21/06 DONE
*Keep dining out expenses under $160/month on average - move any money saved to ING each month keeping the expenses down but haven't been moving money over
*Keep grocery spending under $300/month on average - move any money saved to ING each month haven't come in under $300
*Launch new business by 4/1/06 launched 4/6/06
*Increase tutoring and homeschooling adsense revenues - need more new content and link exchanges work in progress
*Update advertising options at DivaTribe - better bang for the buck for advertisers, steadier revenue stream for DT working on this

I am going to be sore tomorrow...

The grass we attempt to grow out back has not been cut in a very long time. So I decided to get the push mower (only mower we have) and tackle it. Ohhh myyyyy. I am tired. Someday we will have little to no grass and just plants, and I will be a happier camper.

I planted the two bell peppers and basil today. Still need to figure out where to put the watermelon. I also trimmed back some more lavender, this time out back. I love how it smells - that's one clean-up task I don't mind in the slightest.

It's been nice, having such sunny weather. I heard we're due for some rain this weekend, possibly.

I sold a DVD today for $7.00 - something else to keep track of for my challenge update at the end of the month. (note to self - postage was $1.35)

I used my Target gift cards today on two things I would have bought anyway, plus a pack of gum. I'll add that $10 to my challenge total.

So far this month:
1 book (net $5.06)
1 DVD (net=$6.69)
$10 in gift cards
AdSense $11.52 and counting...
2 Rite-Aid rebates (I think one may be lost in the mail - was supposedly dated 4/6 but hasn't arrived )
1 Longs rebate
ebookdrop ???
gas vouchers ???

Two of my pochos got mentions in a couple of blogs today:

Reclaimed Cotton Poncho at Modish
Soy Poncho at Great Green Goods

Happy day for me.

After lots of rain, we've had a few sunny days and it's been great to get outside and do some major clean-up in the gardens. We don't have a front lawn but rather lower maintenance plants like flax, lavender, rosemary, etc. I also have some stock that keeps reseeding itself, and some alstromeria that have finally taken off and will be good candidates for dividing.

There is a lot of weeding to be done, and more pruning, but I got a good bit done today and DH got some done yesterday.

DD and I are going to go to the nursery and see what there is to see. She's wanting some gardening gloves for herself - she used to have pairs and pairs of them (gifts) but outgrew all of them. I want to go look at vegetables and herbs. Seeds are cheaper, and I usually talk myself out of buying plants, but we'll see what happens. I have five tomatoes going already but I'd like to get a few more edible things going.

--later--

We came home with four little seedlings: watermelon (have no idea where I'll plant it, but DD wanted to try to grow some), two bell peppers and a basil. Also got some seed packets - more basil, spearmint, green beans, chives and chamomile.

I won't get those in the ground until Wednesday at the earliest, most likely. I have two big pots with trellises in them that worked well last year for snap peas, so I'm hoping they'll be good for the green beans.

I have some rasberries that I'm watching. I see new little plants but haven't seen any of the old canes leafing out yet. You don't get berries until the second year, so I'm hoping the canes will produce.

Andrea from InsiderPages.com came through - my Target cards arrived in the mail today. Love good customer service!

So that's something else to add to my challenge when I move money over at the end of the month - $10 in Target gc's.

Still have some rebates outstanding (two from Rite Aid, one from Longs) and I'm waiting to see if the gas vouchers will be approved or not ($20).

On a side note, I qualified to test a new product through one of the surveys I'd filled out, and it arrived today. Neat! I also got some freebies yesterday - Pantene shampoo and conditioner, Olay facial clay mask and some sauce to put on dry dog food. (That last one has me a little bit nervous to try out with my dog - it doesn't take much to throw of his system and make him...er...a little stinky. )

I bought a month's worth of blog advertising this morning for my boutique, and the owner of the site said she'd like to feature one of my products before the ad runs. Cool! I emailed her back, so we'll see what happens.

It's April 15th and Earth day today. Saving money, frugality and environmetal awareness can go hand in hand. Reducing consumption, reusing items, recycling, buying used, cutting back on unnecessary driving - all of these are good for the bank account and good for the planet.

I

posted a few ideas to explore for Earth Day at DivaTribe:

1. walk, ride a bike, use mass transit or carpool
2. clean up a park, beach, lot or street
3. bring your own bags to the store, or decline a bag if you don't need one
4. wash your clothes in cold water, or line dry them
5. air dry your dishes in the dishwasher instead of using the dry cycle
6. set up recycling at home or work for paper, aluminum cans or 1 and 2 plastics
7. find your nearest thrift store or used book store and take some time to explore it
8. buy organic this weekend for produce or milk
9. save gift wrap and tissue paper to be ironed and used again
10. grow something edible in a the ground or in a pot

Have a good Earth Day everyone.

DD has a "fairy cooking" cookbook and is itching to make something from it. Almost everything she's picked out has at least one ingredient that I don't already have here at home. I told her we could make one thing and that I'd take her to the grocery store to buy what we're missing. She wants to try the fudge that calls for pink marshmallows. Not what I'd pick, but then I'm not a 6 year old girl.

We've got eggs boiling right now, to dye either later tonight or tomorrow. We're going to a potluck birhday party tomorrow night - Mexican food is the theme. I have plenty of beans and cheese on hand, as well as tortillas, so I ought to be able to come up with something.

Sunday we're having bunch with DH's parents, sister and her two (grown) kids. Ought to be a nice meal.

Not much to report in the realm of tutoring, teaching or work. As for the $20 challenge, I have about $12.50 outstanding in rebates and $30 outstanding in gift cards. If the gas vouchers come through, that will be another $20, but I'm not counting on that. AdSense is at about $11 so far this month.

+$5.00
+$2.40
-$1.59
-$0.75

Total to add to challenge: $5.06

It's nice when the shipping reimbursement is more than the actual shipping - helps make up for the commission.

I tried to order two books yesterday, used, from B&N.com, and both times I got emails back syaing those books weren't in stock. That isn't right - if the sellers can't supply the book then it shouldn't be listed. And I cna't leave feedback about it either. It isn't a huge deal, but it's bothersome.

Yep. Paid taxes today plus a quarterly estimate - that all came out to about $4800. A few other bills and errands and there you go. A $5000 day.

flash is adding me to the Pacific coupon train. I've never done one of these before - hope it works out well.

The four $10 vouchers from AutoAdvantage arrived today. Now the question is this - can I use them even though I cancelled the membership? I'll give it a try.

If it works out and I get money back, I'll add it to my challenge account.

Still waiting on $20 in Barnes & Noble gift cards, but it hasn't been that long since I signed up for that membership.

After seeing Kashi's two kitties, I thought I'd post a picture of my other cat. We adopted her from a shelter in 1996, and she was anywhere from 2-4 years old at the time. She is as sweet as can be.

This picture is actually about 5 years old.

I emailed ebookdrop this morning, trying to see what's going on now that it's been about two months since I shipped them my small box of books. I doubt I'll even hear back, but it's a step in the right direction.

I checked on my insiderpages.com email, to see when I'd sent in my reviews. It hasn't been 6 weeks yet (but it's close) and they say their turnaround time is 4-6 weeks. I'll give them another few days and then follow up on that - I submitted enough reviews to qualify for 2 Target gift cards, $10 each.

I'm heading to the post office today to mail out the book that sold. I also need to buy new cat food for our kitty that's been sick. Crystals in his urine - not a good thing. So we're switching to Hill's c/d wet food, and I need to pick some up today.

Feeling completely overwhelmed by stress these days. Just not dealing with it very well.

note for challenge: 1.59 for postage today

I sold a book for $5 at half.com today. That will go into my challenge total at the end of the month. I haven't sold any books in a while, so it was nice to get the message from half.com in my email today.

I'm worried our male kitty has a UTI or blockage, so we're off to the animal hospital this afternoon. Wish him luck.

UPDATE: We are back and our kitty is home with us. Thankfully there is no blockage. He's got an antibitotic that ought to take care of things. I had a cat when I was a little girl that died from a urinary tract blockage, and that was what was worrying me here.

I'm irritated with my current reward card. I am a smart person, and even after I felt like I'd read the fine print and done my research, the rewards I redeemed points for are not working out. Hotel and car - neither one is doing me much good.

When I cancel this card (Elite Rewards from MBNA), I'll write a letter and incude in it my frustration and disappointment with their program. I hate the feeling of being duped.

I'll cancel this one next month and look into signing up for the Citi cashback card that has been discussed in the forums.

Today's been a fun day. Spent $65 to renew our zoo membership while we were there, and then went to the natural history museum as well (our pass is still good there until late summer). DD made a list of some of her favorite animals and drew a little sketch of one of the bald eagles. Spent $1.50 on a churro.

Dinner tonight will be Thai food. We have a frozen Thai mix from Trader Joe's, and I'm going to try a recipe for peanut dipping sauce I found yesterday while flipping through Real Simple in the ballet waiting area. I'll make some grilled or baked tofu to go with it, and maybe some roasted bell pepper, too. Add some rice and it should be good. DH ought to like it - he's a big fan of Thai food.

Tomorrow night we're being treated to dinner at a place we enjoy. Ought to be a good time!

My $2 rebate check was mailed out yesterday, according to Rite Aid's web site. That will go to my challenge total once I get it.

I'm not normally one for drama and ranting, but the other day I really just needed to get some things off my chest I think. I appreciate the supportive comments - thank you.

Back to bland and boring entries that are more for my benefit than anyone else's.

We have few frills in our budget. To live just on one income is so hard. The only reason we have any wiggle room is from the parttime jobs DH and I do. It isn't about having more "stuff" as mentioned in another blog. That offends me.

Big expense: DD's schooling. If the public schools were the kind of place I wanted my child spending six hours a day, I'd have her there. But they're not, unfortunately. I've seen them from the inside (former teacher); I have friends still teaching; I talk to parents of DD's friends who are in these schools. No thank you.

We don't even buy new cars every 5-6 years, let alone every 3-4 or 1-2. Our one vacation this year, a real getaway for rest and recreation, will have been 2 days of skiing. That's it.

The clothes we buy are returns that can't be resold, or samples. They're new, but not really. Or we buy from thrift stores.

My Starbucks habit has been on gift cards this year, thanks to Christmas and my birthday among other things.

I can't remember the last time I had my hair cut, even at a supercuts. Forget about an actual salon. I've had my nails done twice since my daughter was born, and this last time was from a gift certificate for my birthday.

We don't have cable, or a dish. I think we've been a movie theater two or three times in the last two years.

When we improve our house, we do it ourselves. No contractors, no landscape architects, no painters. I sew curtains and seat cushion covers.

We buy organic, for our own health and because we think it's the right thing to do, environmentally. We also don't eat fast food, both for our health and as a statement to the fast food industry.

I wash in cold water and hang dry at least half our clothes.

I could say what DH makes, which I won't, but apparently the vast majority of people here would think we're crazy that we can't live on that and have a very nice life. Trust me - no boats, no timeshares, no new cars. Thank goodness work matches 401k contributions, so we're at least almost saving 10% into the 401k. Almost.

I'm frustrated at how hard things seem right now. Moving anywhere in this area isn't even an option; I think the median home prices for our city (or was it county?) in $600K. There's no way we could get anything - ANYTHING - for less than what our current mortgage is. We'd be incredibly lucky to find something in the very worst part of town for twice what we currently owe.

It's not been a good day. Rant over, for now.

I have $2 coming from last month's rebate program and about $10.48 for this month's program. They have a rebate on GE compact flourescent light bulbs, if anyone's been wanting to try those out. They also have a Colgate toothbrush and toothpaste that turn out to be free after rebate. I bought only things we'll use and would ned to buy anyway, though I'm always tempted by other things when I'm browsing the aisles. I made a list this time, though, and that helped me stick to rebate items only.

I just looked at my receipt. The lightbulbs were normally 9.99 each, but they're on sale for 4.99 and then there's the rebate on top of that. Great deal! You have to buy two to get the rebate.

So $12.48 in outstanding rebates that can get added to my challenge total when they come in.

It occurs to me that I have no plans or goals with regards to my challenge money. I have no set amount I'm aiming to reach, and I have no specific plans for what to do with the money, either. I find myself just kind of squirreling away extra money.

I am having to track down what happened to an online check. My water delivery person can't find my last payment, but my online check cleared 3/24/06. So the question in my mind is who deposited that check, and where did it get applied if not to my account? I'll get it worked out, but I hate having to deal with this type of thing.

I took care of three bills this morning, while I was online. I renewed the car's registration online, in a process that took all of 60 seconds. That is so convenient - and we didn't need a smog check this year, so it was truly a painless process.

I printed out our first quarter's worth of budget ananlysis from Quicken, to gothrough later. I'm curious to see how it looks. Last month was a pretty good one for us, considering we had to buy plane tickets to Chicago and went on our little ski trip. We did well in most areas of our budget.

I will find out Wednesday what my salary will be, and then I can go in and update the budget some more. Actually I'll make a new one and apply it once I actually start earaning a paycheck.

Through

mypoints.com, I got an offer to sign up for a $1 trial membership that will send out $20 in Barnes and Noble gift cards. The points from this also put me high enough to get my first gift card from mypoints, if I want to. Very nice. I also ordered printer ink through a mypoints offer, so hopefully the ink will work out with my Epson printer and that will have turned out to be a good deal.

I'll put this entry in the savings category, as $20 at B&N means money we would have spent anyway...we love going there.

MyPoints does have a referral program, so if you're interested in signing up and feel like helping me at the same time, leave a comment.

I've got $23.10 in AdSense money, $14.43 from an eBay auction and $49.76 from an insurance refund to add to my challenge total. I also earned 49 cents in interest, bringing my new total to $222.21. I'll make a transfer to my account this week.